Almighty Allah frequently declares that the Qur’an is a clear book, so that those who ascribe equals to Him should not go on in their own perverse way and should not produce their own inventions and fabrications.

“We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an so that hopefully you will use your intellect.”

In other words, Almighty Allah says, “We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an so that you should use your heads and think on the wisdom in it and see its details.” But if you do not think, you cannot find or understand them. “So that you will use your intellect,” He says. That means that everyone has to reflect on the Qur’an individually. You cannot say, “It is of no concern to me, I am not ready.” You have to study it.

“We tell you the best of stories in revealing this Qur’an to you, even though you were unaware of it before it came.”

Not just any stories, but the best of stories, Almighty Allah says. “We tell you the best of stories” There are accounts in many places, but most are fabrications and not true evidence. But what does Allah say? The best of stories. We read a report in a newspaper and may be unsure whether it is true or not. But Almighty Allah says that the Qur’an is the best of stories. In other words, those stories are impeccable and perfect. They contain not the slightest error. They are completely true.

“even though you were unaware of it before it came.”

He says that “you were unaware” of this secret knowledge. It is not something generally known. It is “special” knowledge.

“When Joseph told his father, ‘Father! I saw eleven bright stars, and the sun and moon as well. I saw them all prostrate in front of me’.”

Eleven stars, or 12 when we add the Sun. How many stars are there on the EU flag? Twelve. There are always stars, the Sun, the Moon, on Islamic countries’. What does this mean? Global reign. Look at the map and you will see it in all of them; they either have stars or the Sun or the Moon. The Turkish flag has both a star and Moon. Most Islamic countries have the Moon and stars, and many have the Sun. The term here refers both to global majesty and also to the EU coming under the command of the way of the Mahdi. That is what the Qur’an is indicating.

“He [his father] said, ‘My son, don’t tell your brothers your dream,” It is useful to conceal a thing, even if it is true, if it will make people envious or jealous. It is best not spoken out loud. It is better to keep something that will make other people envious and jealous quiet. Look, “don’t tell your brothers your dream lest they devise some scheme to injure you,” it is best not to speak openly even if the other person is one’s closest relative, if it will make them jealous. “Satan is a clear-cut enemy to man.” Satan can easily incite envy, it says. I mean, even if the person does not think of it himself, satan can easily put it into his head, says Almighty Allah.

"Accordingly your Lord will pick you out,” He imparts knowledge through revelation because he is a prophet. This is not something just anyone can know, it requires revelation. “Accordingly your Lord will pick you out,” He will choose you and make you the Mahdi “and teach you the true meaning of events...” He will teach you to explain Allah’s commandments very well, and you will have the power to speak well, accurately and in a satisfying manner, He says. “…and perfectly fulfil His blessing on you as well as on the family of Jacob as He fulfilled it perfectly before upon your forebears, Abraham and Isaac.” What is described as the blessing on the family of Jacob? The global reign of Islam by means of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). Because Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is from the line of the Prophet Jacob (pbuh), the people of Israel, from the line of the Prophet David (pbuh). That is why our Prophet (pbuh) says that he “resembles an Israeli” as he describes Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). There are more than 10 hadiths about that, saying that he has “an Israeli body” that he “resembles one of the Israelites.” “Most certainly your Lord is Knowing, Wise.”

“In Joseph and his brothers there are Signs for every one of those who wants to ask” says Almighty Allah. In other words, there are signs and lessons, spiritual signs regarding the End Times, for people living then or in any other time.

“When they declared, ‘Why! Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are.” Why are the fanatics opposed to Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)? Jealousy. And what is going on here? Jealousy. What do they say? “Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are.” Our father loves him more,” they say. Jealousy regarding love is very dangerous. Most of them end up in murder or war, and terrible afflictions result. Look at the news in the papers, these things always stem from love, or alleged love. Of course it is not really love at all, but envy. “…although we constitute a powerful group.” The Qur’an draws attention how the fanatics will all stand up for one another. The perverse behavior of the time. But then they improve, and that is a separate issue. But the Qur’an is referring to the fanatic state of mind here. “Our father is clearly making a mistake.”

The Qur’an notes how when the extremist becomes totally fanatical he will not even recognize a prophet. Their father is a prophet, but what do these fanatics say? “Our father is clearly making a mistake.”

Were our Prophet (pbuh) around today, they would oppose him. His interest in women and love for women drives them crazy. The fact he married so many women, women’s attraction to him and the stipulations in the Qur’an would all cause them to oppose the prophet, if he were here, if Allah had given them such strength. They would have opposed the Prophet (pbuh), may Allah forbid.

Look, the Qur’an refers to the fanatics’ bloodthirsty nature: "Kill Joseph”. The first thing they think of, as a manifestation of what is in their souls, is killing. Look, the fanatic mindset either consists of bloodshed, "Kill Joseph”, or neutralizing, imprisoning and crushing people in some way - “or expel him to some land so that your father will look to you alone.” Look, “so that your father will look to you alone.” In other words, the aim here is to give the impression he is not Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), not a person of any special value, and for someone else to step forward and attract attention. “and then you can be people who do right.”

“We constitute a powerful group,” they say, but they are not in the slightest way at all honest. But they make use of honesty.

“One of them said, ‘Do not take Joseph’s life but throw him to the bottom of the well, so that some travellers may discover him, if this is something that you have to do’.”

Words and expressions of this kind in the Qur’an generally belong to Hazrat Khidr (pbuh). “One of them”, that also appears in Surat al-Kahf, “one of them”. He appears in the form of an old man. But he acts as a spokesman. “One of them said, ‘Do not take Joseph’s life...” Look, he prevents it. He convinces the others, “do not take Joseph’s life” he sets up an obstacle to their extremist mindset. “throw him to the bottom of the well, so that some travellers may discover him,” They would not believe him if he just said, “Do not take Joseph’s life.” He offers them another solution, in which lies salvation for the Prophet Joseph (pbuh), and it also contains a plan for making him a leader. He says, “throw him to the bottom of the well, so that some travellers may discover him,” and he already knows what is going to happen. The boy might die at the bottom of the well, but he knows better. He knows he will be rescued.

"They said, ‘Our Father! What is wrong with you that you refuse to trust us with Joseph?” Fanatics are unbalanced and loveless. Look at the language, “Our Father! What is wrong with you?” Look at the way they talk to a prophet. “…that you refuse to trust us with Joseph?” This means you should never entrust anything to a fanatic . Fanatics are dangerous and untrustworthy. “in truth we only wish him well.” And this means that fanatics tell a lot of lies. And they are shameless. They look you right in the eye as they lie to you.

"Why don’t you send him out with us tomorrow so he can enjoy himself and play about?” This means that fanatics are capable from time to time in a way that will win other people over. “All of us will make sure that he is safe.”

So fanatics are capable of saying things they know other people will like to hear as they lie to them.

“He said, ‘It grieves me to let him go with you I fear a wolf might come and eat him up while you are heedless, not attending him’.”

The prophet of course makes a mistake here. “It grieves me to let him go with you…” for one thing, a believer never grieves. He sees good in all things. This is a mistake on the part of the prophet. “I fear a wolf might come and eat him up while you are heedless...” this is also an error, because he has revealed a weakness. He has unwittingly given them an idea of the kind of trickery they need to employ. Because they are stupid and could never find it for themselves. But he has revealed it by admitting such a possibility. That is why one should never state a weakness. For example, if one is afraid of something, one should never say so, one should never let on that one has a weakness in some regard. For instance, if one has no money one should never say, “I have no money” if that is going to put one in a position of weakness. On the contrary.

“We make up a powerful group...” Fanatics really do watch out for one another in their groups. “If a wolf does come and eat him up when together we make up a powerful group in that case we would truly be in loss!” In other words, they are saying; “we would be loser in such a case, and that cannot happen.”

“But when, in fact, they did go out with him and gathered all together and agreed to put him at the bottom of the well,” see how they heed that person’s words? They initially wanted to kill him, but when he suggested they leave him at the bottom of the well they were immediately won over. That, by the law of Allah, was Hazrat Khidr (pbuh). “and agreed to put him at the bottom of the well” they did not just drop him down, of course, they lowered him down with rope and a bucket. “We then revealed to him...” see, Allah gives him revelation because he is a prophet. “You will inform them of this deed they perpetrate at a time when they are totally unaware.” For example, extremists are unaware of the way of the Mahdi. So Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will inform the extremists what they do is wrong. He will tell them of the erroneous nature of their actions. In other words, he will tell them how flawed and ugly they. Because what does the Qur’an say? It says there are lessons to be learned; about the End Times, since we are in the time of the way of the Mahdi.

“That night they came back to their father in tears,” evening is generally the favorite time for trickery and conspiracies. Because everyone is off duty. Means of communications are closed down. It makes it harder for the person concerned to escape. It is much easier to escape in the daytime. But since many possible sources of help and modes of transport are closed down in the evening, those who set ambushes generally prefer the evening, thinking the victim will fall into the trap. Allah speaks of the “evil of the night” in the Qur’an. “That night they came back to their father in tears...” what is one technique employed by hypocrites? Weeping. When they weep they look innocent. They go on the television and weep and wail, even though they behave totally immorally and vilely. But people think, “if he is weeping that means he must be sincere.” “He must be honest,” they say. Yet they are only weeping out of fraud and trickery. But people believe those tears. Many frauds appear on television, as you know – and my apologies to honest guests – and weep and wail and behave disgustingly, but eventually they get what they want.

“…saying, ‘Father, we went out to run a race.” Liars often begin their lies with the words, “The fact of the matter is…” “we went out to run a race”, Allah draws out attention to another feature of the way they lie, how they do so in a highly organized manner. How used they are to telling lies, and this is a well-known trait of fanatics. They can make stories up at a moment’s notice. “and left Joseph together with our things” they have a story about that, as well. “…and then a wolf appeared and ate him up.” What did the Prophet Jacob (pbuh) say? “I fear a wolf might come and eat him up.” What do they say? “A wolf appeared and ate him up.” He put the idea in their heads. He put the idea of their plot into their heads, albeit unwittingly. He revealed a weakness, and they used that weakness against him. “A wolf ate him up,” they say. Because if he were to ask, “where did the wolf come from?” they would reply, “you said there was the danger of his being eaten by a wolf.” In other words, they would say “you admitted the possibility, and that possibility became reality.” “…but you are never going to believe us now, not even though we really tell the truth.” This is another technique extremists employ when they lie. They employ a kind of emotional counter-offensive. What do they say? “…but you are never going to believe us now.” They now accuse him. They have established the offense of not believing someone who is telling the truth. This is an extremist technique.

“They then produced his shirt with false blood on it.” Look, another foolish fanatic technique. “He said, ‘It is merely that your lower selves have suggested something to you which you did;but beauty lies in showing steadfastness.” Their father realizes that they are engaging in trickery. But here he says a very fine thing; “beauty lies in showing steadfastness.” A Muslim must be steadfast. “…in face of the event that you describe.” He identifies the situation very accurately, “the events that you describe.” “It is all a lie,” he is saying. “It is Allah alone Who is my Help“ “I seek help from Allah alone,” he says.

“Some travellers came that way.” They are there for a purpose. They are not just any travellers. They were created beforehand by Allah. They are not passing that way by chance. They are there specially to extract the Prophet Joseph (pbuh) from the well. “and then dispatched their water-drawer who let his bucket down.” Look, the Qur’an provides a detail; “he let his bucket down.” A bucket. The Qur’an did not have to provide that detail. It says that he “let it down.” By rope. It could have just said they fished him out in some way. But it goes into detail. It says “he let his bucket down.” Because Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will come in the age of Aquarius (the Water Bearer). This is a deliberate reference to the age of Aquarius. The water pitcher is also indicated in the Gospel. It is the same thing. “He said, ‘Good news for me, I’ve found a boy!’” This is also a reference to Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). “They then hid him away among their goods.” There is the question of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) disappearing for a time, as you know. It is also in the hadiths. “They hid him away,” that is a reference to it. “Allah knew very well what they were doing.”

“I create,” says Almighty Allah. They imagine they do things themselves, but it is Allah Who creates them in destiny.

“They sold him for a pittance, a few small coins, considering him to be of little worth.”

People will underestimate Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). They will initially regard him as unimportant and trivial.

“The Egyptian who had bought him told his wife, ‘Look after him with honour and respect. It’s possible he will be of use to us or perhaps we might adopt him as a son’.” Look, Allah makes him feel it, “Look after him with honor”, Allah produces a love for him in his heart, to protect him. This also happens with the Prophet Moses (pbuh). Here, Allah produces a love for the Prophet Joseph (pbuh) in the heart of the Egyptian. “Look after him with honor and respect. It’s possible he will be of use to us...” He was in fact useful, not just to them but to all of Egypt. Allah causes him to say this. “…or perhaps we might adopt him as a son,” he also wants to adopt him; he loves him that much. “And thus We established Joseph in the land to teach him the true meaning of events.” The Prophet Joseph (pbuh) has the ability to analyze and interpret events very well. “Allah is in control of His affair. However, most of mankind do not know.”

“What Allah wishes is what happens,” he says.

“And then when he became a full-grown man, We gave him knowledge and right judgement too.” He gives him judgment and knowledge. Allah raises him to be highly cultured. Alongside the Egyptian, whom Allah uses as His instrument. The Prophet Moses (pbuh) also received an excellent general culture in Pharaoh’s paradise. He also obtained enormous knowledge and opportunity with the Egyptian. Both divine knowledge and general culture. “That is how We reward all doers of good.”

“The woman whose house it was solicited him.” If you tell the fanatics, “The Prophet Joseph (pbuh) is living in the woman’s house” they will stone him. They will try to kill him. “How dare you live in that woman’s house!” they will say. This is an unacceptable state of affairs for a fanatic. Imagine how the fanatics of the time responded to the Prophet Joseph (pbuh). He was living in her house. There was nothing they would not do. No fanatic would ever accept his living in the woman’s house. He lived with the woman for years. Alone, in that room. But the Qur’an tells us that when he reached maturity, the age of 22 or 23, “the woman whose house it was…”, the Prophet Joseph (pbuh) was living alone with the woman. In the eyes of the fanatics the Prophet Joseph (pbuh) had sinned, had sinned very terribly, may Allah forbid. “…solicited him.” She wanted to make love with him. “How can you say that? We watch with our families and children” they complain. But Allah says it, so how can I not say it? “You should not talk about that,” they say. That means you should not read verses from the Qur’an. “She barred the doors.” She locks the doors, to stop the Prophet Joseph (pbuh) leaving. So a man can be attractive, too. Not only women must. Look, she desires him. "...and said, ‘Come over here’!” That means she is some distance away, and calls him to her. She wants to have sexual relations. They already live together and talk. She likes him, and they converse together. The prophet Joseph (pbuh) only refuses to have sexual relations. But the woman explicitly says that she wants to have sexual relations with him or. “Come over here” she says, in an invitation to sexual relations. “He said, ‘Allah is my refuge!” Since he is a Muslim. How is it prevented? By the police? By building a wall between them? By the woman wearing a headscarf? No, by faith. He holds himself back with his intelligence, conscience and faith. So what is the measure? Faith. And fear of Allah. What prevented adultery? Fear of Allah. “He is my lord, and has been good to me.” Because he has lived very comfortably. “Those who do wrong will surely not succeed.” He says that would be wrong, and he will have no part of it. And people who do wrong will not succeed.

“She wanted him,” he did not attract her interest when he was young, but now that he is a strong young man, he attracts her. “-and he would have wanted her, had he not seen the Clear Proof of his Lord [who forbids adultery].” He also desires her, but he does nothing about it as that would be a sin. Desire is there. He wants the woman, but what does he do, since he knows it would be a sin? He does not approach her. “That happened so We might avert from him all evil and lust. He was Our chosen servant.” How does Allah transform evil and prostitution? Through faith, through faith in Allah, insha’Allah.

“They raced to the door.” The prophet Joseph (pbuh) is a really lovely person. The house must be quite a large one to run in, as they could not have run in a small one. One has to get up speed in order to run, so the room is a big one, it would seem, from that description. “She tore his shirt at the back…” The woman runs after him and grabs hold of his shirt and tears it from the back. The Prophet Joseph (pbuh) is strong but so, it seems, is the woman. Since she is maddened by lust, and since the Prophet Joseph (pbuh) resists, the shirt tears when she grabs hold of it. And at that exact moment, “They met her husband by the door.” Allah brought them together.“She said,‘How should a man whose intention was to harm your family be punished for what he did except with prison or painful punishment’?” You see how treacherously she behaves? So much for her loving him! Love without fear of Allah and that is not based on love of Allah is a mere fancy, and is perfidious and base and ruthless, as in this case. How can you slander him like this when you supposedly love him so much? See what she says? This is a typical treacherous, hypocritical character. And she even provokes the man by saying, “a man whose intention was to harm your family.” He wanted to do harm, he attacked your honor, she says. She leads him on and puts ideas in his head. “How should a man whose intention was to harm your family be punished for what he did except with prison or painful punishment’?”

What else could that mean other than whipping or beating?

“He [Joseph] said, ‘It was she who tried to seduce me’.” In other words, he wanted to enter in sexual relations with me. But “A witness from her people then declared, ‘If his shirt is torn in front, she speaks the truth and he has clearly told a shameless lie’.”

And this is Hazrat Khidr (pbuh), by the law of Allah. Because this is a very dangerous statement, because the woman could have torn his shirt from the front, in which case this evidence would not have been valid. She could have torn it from the front, say in trying to undress the Prophet Joseph (pbuh). And the prophet would then have seemed to be in the wrong. But he says this because he knows the shirt was torn at the back, by the law of Allah. He then goes on to confirm the position: “If his shirt is torn in front, she speaks the truth and he has clearly told a shameless lie.” He does not offer this analysis beforehand.

“If his shirt is torn at the back,” he first gives the negative possibility. He leaves the possibility that will save the prophet until last. This is very important in the law. He leaves the defense to last. The defense is also left to last in courts. “If his shirt is torn at the back, then she has lied and he has clearly told the simple truth.” He produces a definitive ruling. “…and he has clearly told the simple truth." It could of course have been the exact opposite, I mean the shirt could be torn at the back in any way. Why should the woman be put in the wrong if she did not do it? He could have torn the shirt himself, or snagged it on something.

“He [her husband] saw the shirt torn at the back and said, ‘The source of this is women’s deviousness. Without a doubt your guile is very great’.”

That is enough for him. He has been totally convinced. He issues his opinion, “…this is deviousness…” In other words, he tells the woman she has plotted against him. “Without a doubt your guile is very great.” He says that she has engaged in a huge plot against the Prophet Joseph (pbuh).

"Joseph, ignore all this.” He tells him not to speak to the woman again. This is a solution, since the cause of the trouble is obvious. “…and you, my wife, should ask forgiveness.” The man approaches the matter as befits a Muslim. Someone else would just kill her. He just says, “…you should ask for forgiveness.” “...and you, my wife, should ask forgiveness for your evil act.” He states Allah’s command at that time just like a commandment of the Qur’an. He behaves as befits a Muslim, doing nothing contemptible. Other people would just cut her up with a bread-knife, wouldn’t they? People behave in totally crazy ways, may Allah forbid.

“Some city women said, ‘The governor’s wife solicited her slave. He’s fired her heart with love. We see that she’s the one to blame’.”

Women never miss such things.

"The governor’s wife solicited her slave. He’s fired her heart with love.” Look, they relate the story just like a current affairs scandal today. “We see that she’s the one to blame.” They accuse her of sexual perversion, but they are also getting very excited. Otherwise, what concern is it of yours? Is it normal to be so obsessed by it? That means that they shared the same desire, subconsciously. That is how things stand in some cases.

“But when she heard of their malicious talk, she sent for them,” so she knew what kind of people they were. When she heard of their criticism of her “she sent for themand made a sumptuous meal,” for them to sit down to.“...and then she gave a knife to each of them.” It is a bit different in the original Arabic, but we take it as a knife. And fruit; there is special fruit from that region. It also appears in the Torah. An oval fruit. The name escapes me for the moment. “She said [to Joseph], ‘Go out to them’.” Why does she say that? Because she knows they will be affected by him. “‘Go out to them.’ When they saw him, they were amazed by him and cut their hands.” The woman are powerfully affected. So it is not only women who can have that kind of effect! It appears that men can also have that effect. “They said, ‘Allah preserve us! This is no man’.” “He is so impressive, he cannot be human,” they say. They are amazed by how impressive he is. They are also amazed at themselves, as how affected by him they are. There is an electricity that stems from faith, a divine electricity, and they are affected by that. “What can this be but a noble angel here!” “He cannot be human,” they say.

“She said, ‘You see! It’s him you blamed me for’.” “You criticized me, but you are even more affected than I was,” she says. “She said, ‘You see! It’s him you blamed me for. I tried seducing him but he refused.” A man is of course even more attractive when he is protective of himself. A man like a prostitute is repellent to a woman. But a man who protects himself and has faith is very, very impressive to a woman. A cheap man is like a prostitute. A woman finds him repellent. A woman with faith is also attractive. “If he does not do what I order him, he will be put in prison and brought low.”

She says that if he refuses to enter into sexual relations she will have him imprisoned. “…and be brought low.” “I will ruin him and bring him low,” she says.

“He [Joseph] said, ‘My Lord, the prison is preferable to me than what they call on me to do’.” He does not say “she,” but “they.” In other words, the women are obsessed with the Prophet Joseph (pbuh). They invite him to enter into illicit sexual relations. ” the prison is preferable to me than what they call on me to do,” he says. But he speaks with the women. The Prophet Joseph (pbuh) appears before them, even though he knows they will be affected by him. He did not have to appear, did he? What did the prophet Joseph (pbuh) do in the eyes of the bigots? He committed a terrible sin. He sinned by living in the same house as that woman. But the Prophet Joseph (pbuh) protected himself with his faith. “He said, ‘My Lord, the prison is preferable to me than what they call on me to do’.” See the expression he uses? “…preferable to me.” He does not say he prefers one scourge over the other. But look at his language; it “is preferable,” he says. “I regard prison as preferable,” he says. “Unless You turn their guile away from me, it may well be that I will fall for them,” he is also full of desire, “and so become a man of ignorance.” The women might have forced him. They were crazed and might have tied him down, mightn’t they? Because that woman was crazy when she tore his shirt. And now the other women all became involved, too. They could have forced him to enter into relations.

“His Lord replied to him and turned away from him their female guile and deviousness. He is the One Who Hears, the One Who Knows.”